Calls Mount to “Ban” Stephen A. Smith From NCAA Coverage After Strong March Madness Opinion

Least-watched NCAA final game in half a decade was still a million viewers more than the NBA’s most-watched final. That’s March Madness popularity for you. If you ask one of those in the audience the reason, they’d likely say– it’s the one-and-dones, the Cinderellas, the unpredictability. From No. 10 Davidson Wildcats in 2008 to NC State’s 2024 run to the Final Four, in Tony Skinn’s words, they have shown “that all you need is opportunity and a chance.” That’s a story of hope you love. And by the looks of it, Stephen A. Smith feels no different. But have we got it right?

Remember the story to kick off the 2018 season? No.16 Maryland-Baltimore County had knocked out No. 1 overall seed Virginia in the first round. In 2023, it was Fairleigh Dickinson upsetting the No.1 Purdue. Through 2021 and 2022, four N0.16s made it past. These moments have put the ‘Madness’ in the NCAA tourney’s moniker, announcing that the thrill has been kept alive no matter the years. However, can the same be said for the ongoing season?

The No. 10 seed Arkansas Razorbacks coached by Hall of Famer John Calipari are the sole team ranked below a sixth seed to advance past the first week of the tournament. You could very well make a case that they aren’t a Cinderella story either. The SEC earned 14 tournament bids this year, the most in NCAA history, with seven teams making it to the Sweet 16, setting a new record. And don’t forget, the Razorbacks have reached the Sweet 16 in 3 of their last 4 seasons. The fact wasn’t lost on the ESPN analyst.

On “First Take,” Stephen A. pointed out that the lack of Cinderella teams making it to the Sweet 16 could have a big impact on the future of the sport. “If this continues, it will be the death of college basketball… March Madness owns sports for those four weeks. … What is the allure? That everybody has a chance. That’s what gravitates you,” he said.

The first round of the big dance was surprisingly light on madness! There were no buzzer-beaters. Out of 32 first-round games, 20 were decided by double digits, and 12 of those by 20 or more. The only true last-second thrill? The very first game of the First Four. What about the upsets then? Almost nonexistent. For the first time since 2017, the top four seeds in each region went a perfect 16-0, with only two of them not winning by double digits.

This is what forced Stephen A. to drop his opinion. But it didn’t sit well with fans.

Fans fume as Stephen A. Smith drops a controversial opinion on March Madness

Fans clearly weren’t happy with the ESPN analyst’s opinion. One even went so far as to call for a ban. They said, “SAS should be banned from talking march madness.” Another joined in saying, “He should be banned from talking in general.”

Stephen A. has built a career on controversial opinions. But is he right this time? Maybe not. There have been many Cinderella stories over the years, like Florida Atlantic’s Final Four run two years ago, NC State’s Final Four run last year, or Steph Curry leading Davidson to the Elite 8 in 2008. But is it really bad to not have a weak team in the second week of the big dance?

One fan certainly thinks otherwise. They said, “I swear people don’t actually like basketball. Underdogs are fun, but when the best teams make it far, we get the most high level matchups possible. How can you complain about that if you enjoy the game?”

There’s always drama when upsets happen, but the quality of the games is usually better when top teams face off. Just look at the defending champions, who, though not the same team as the past two seasons, still put on a show against Florida. It was a fast-paced game, with Florida edging out a two-point win. This brings us to the fan take! A take that effectively challenges Stephen A’s claim about the lack of quality among the smaller programs.

Not many Blue Blood programs are still dancing this year! North Carolina and Kansas are already out. One fan shared their thoughts, saying, “It’s also not like it’s “blue bloods” who are dominating. Carolina and Kansas both went out in the 1st round. UConn is gone. Maryland hasn’t been good in years and they are in.”

Another fan joined in, debunking Stephen A’s opinion, saying, “10 seed Arkansas made the Sweet 16, we’ve had 2 6 over 3 upsets. We have two 12s & an 11 in the Round of 32. We have plenty of potential Cinderella teams available. I hate this notion that cause no 15 seed beat a 2 that this tournament is bad. We’ve had plenty of chaos this year.”

Yes, the top-seeded programs have successfully stood to their rankings in the first round. But that doesn’t beat the lower seeds still keeping the fight alive. Arkansas, a once bubble team, beat two head coaches with a combined total of bout 1700 wins and 2 national titles in 48 hours. 6th seeds, BYU and Ole Miss pushed out No.3 Wisconsin and Iowa state. What’s better? 12th-seeded Colorado State beat No.5 Memphis. But to SAS’s remarks, there’s truth that no 15th seed has managed a deep run like St. Peter’s Peacocks did in 2022.

And as for the popularity? It hasn’t dropped. In fact, viewership has been strong. Coverage across TBS, CBS, TNT, and truTV averaged 9.1 million viewers, marking a 6% increase from 2024. When you include the First Four round, tournament viewership rose by 8%, averaging 8.8 million viewers. This year, the NCAA Tournament saw its most-watched first round in history! This is exactly what a fan suggests, “Ppl wanna see the best of the best…nobody cares who that may be each year…we’re still goin to watch it.”

Yes, some people love the drama. But by the looks of it, it doesn’t have to always come from the underdogs. Auburn, Duke, Michigan State, and Florida are making it difficult to place a finger on the best. So if the season is any indication, the quality of the game is right up there. People are still watching the games, even without the ‘upsets’. March Madness is the country’s biggest sporting festival, and that isn’t dipping anytime soon.